Methods of thickening and stabilizing liquids are industrially very important techniques. For example, mayonnaise and salad dressing, which are emulsions in metastable states, can stably maintain their emulsified state for a long period of time. This is because aqueous components therein are thickened and stabilized. Accordingly, various thickening stabilizers have been developed.
For example, alkyl acrylate copolymers are known as compounds that thicken and stabilize aqueous media.
On the other hand, 12-hydroxystearic acid is known as a thickening stabilizer for fluid organic substances (for example, organic substances having fluidity, such as oily media) (Patent Document 1, etc.). For its gelling action, 12-hydroxystearic acid is mainly used in disposal of edible oils. However, 12-hydroxystearic acid cannot control the degree of gelling, and it could only induce the oil either in a fully solidified state or still in a liquid state. Among the fluid organic substances, silicone oils, in particular, have low solubilities and thus have been very difficult to thicken or gel to a desired viscosity.